Corrugated boxes and cartons are in wide use to pack, ship, store, and/or display many different types of products. Specifically, these boxes and cartons should securely retain and protect the products therein during shipping and storage while providing easy access to the products for later display and/or removal. Moreover, existing supply chain requirements also should be met so as to ensure efficient production, transport, and use of the box or carton across one or more industries or across one or more geographies.
One popular style of a box or a carton is known as a regular slotted carton. Regular slotted cartons and the like are in common use for packaging and shipping any number of different types of products. Generally described, a regular slotted carton has four rectangular sidewall panels. The top and bottom ends are usually formed from pairs of sidewall panel flaps. These sidewall panel flaps generally meet in the middle with no overlap. Such a regular slotted carton is usually made from a single rectangular blank with little material waste for cost effective and efficient manufacture. Regular slotted cartons typically may be used for products that require relatively high top to bottom stacking strength such as for plastic bottles and the like. Although known regular slotted cartons typically have considerable stacking strength, further strength improvements would be helpful and would provide additional versatility in use.
There is thus a desire for an improved carton design. Preferably such a carton design may provide the versatility of known carton designs, such as a regular slotted carton, with reinforced strength for superior stacking and shipping with the use of a reduced amount of corrugated material.